Peanut BOO!-ter Parfaits

Have you heard? It’s officially autumn tomorrow. The first day of Fall.*
If you are feeling wary of the change of seasons (I always do. It’s so sad, leaving summer behind), I’ve come up with the perfect solution. A 5-Step program designed to take you right into this new season of chilly weather and comfort food. With blog bedecked in the colors of fall, I’m here to hold your hand. Together, we can leave behind flip-flops and sunshine, and move gracefully (and tastefully) into autumn. We can. We can do it.

Are you ready?

STEP ONE: Take a plastic cup. Fill it with chocolate.*
See? Aren’t you feeling better already? No need to worry about bikini season anymore. It’s officially behind us. Autumn is the season to slather plastic cups with chocolate.

STEP TWO: Put a plop of peanut butter cheesecake on top.*
Yeah, I said peanut butter cheesecake. You can’t justify that in June, can you?

STEP THREE: Reeses’s Peanut Butter Cup Cereal.*
Because, why not?

STEP FOUR: More chocolate.

But you already knew that. Because, the answer to everything should always be “more chocolate.”

Take, for instance the following scenarios:

a) You’re talking on the phone with your sister, folding the laundry, stirring dinner with your elbow, soundlessly disciplining the kids by waving your big toe at them from the stove. What do you need to complete your impressive multitasking? More chocolate.b) While sitting on the front porch, spooning into ice cream splits with your nice kids, you see the first leaf of autumn flutter from a neighbors tree at the self-same moment your son declares himself “too old to go to bed before midnight.” What do you need? More chocolate.c) While pulling out your winter wardrobe, you realize none of last season’s pants zip over your ample heiny. How do you remedy the situation? More ch–Okay. Probably less chocolate here. But, you get the idea.

STEP FIVE: Top it all off with a hearty dollop of whipping cream, and repeat after me…Welcome, Autumn. Welcome, Autumn. Welcome, Autumn.

Peanut BOO!-ter ParfaitsDon’t be scared by this frightfully fancy-looking dessert! Despite it’s rich, decadant flavor, it’s surprising simple to make. The ingredients can be whipped together in a matter of minutes, then layered into these beautiful peanut-butter chocolate parfaits for the ultimate halloween presentation. If you’re making this dessert for kids, or are just in a pinch for time, feel free to subsitute the chocolate layer with pre-packaged dark chocolate pudding.
2 cups good quality chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
16 oz. whipped topping
1 cups Reese’s Peanut Butter Puffs
Candy corn for garnish
In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and cream. Microwave for 1 minute, remove the bowl and whisk, then microwave again for 30 seconds and whisk well. Continue microwaving for 30 seconds until the mixture becomes this and chocolatey. Whisk in the vanilla. In another bowl, use an electric beater to mix together the cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar until well mixed. Add 8 ounces of whipped topping and beat until light and fluffy.
Immediately layer all ingredients in four small plastic cups in this order: A layer of chocolate, peanut butter cheesecake layer, a handful of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, a layer of chocolate. Top with a dollop of whipped topping. Garnish with candy corn. Serve immediately for best flavor.

Many thanks to the good folks at Big G cereals and Betty Crocker for inspiring this post. They contacted me last week, challenging me to create a halloween treat using any of their cereals in return for a $50 gift card. A task my children openly celebrated upon seeing me return from the market, laden with bags of their favorite breakfast treats. Yum for them. Hyper kids for me. Yay for cereal!

Want more Cheeky?Catch me today over at MakeItWorkMom, where the remarkable Camille Langston asks for the nitty gritty on how I “Make it Work.” Motherhood, wifing, writing, blogging, however do we gals find the time?! I spill my biggest secret for success here.

Dude! I am TRYING to stick to a diet here, and then you go posting this super delicious looking, super easy recipe and I feel my will power crumbling. Well, at least I don't have the ingredients in my house right now…

These look perfect! I wish I lived in Colorado Springs so I could stalk you (not in a creepy way!) and learn more from you! You inspire me quite a bit with your mommy stories and all of your wonderful food.

Those do look very yummy. But mostly I stopped by to thank you for the thoughts you shared on MakeItWorkMom. I really needed to read that today. I read the post right after 2 hours of trying to get my kids to sleep, feeling very overwhelmed and thinking there was no way I could do everything I need to. Imagine my surprise when the answer to my problems was on my favorite cooking blog. Thank you so much Brooke – you are amazing!

Hi Brooke! I just found your wonderful website a few days ago….LOVE IT! I mades these parfaits as a special treat for my family last night. They loved it. Even though it was intended for the kids, the adults tore into them with equal, if not more, enthusiasm. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful treat!